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Story
The game begins at a time of slowly encroaching peace over the turmoil of the last century, when King Dav ab Harmon began a bitter battle of conquest to enslave all of the outlying kingdoms to his own, Lithmore. Successful through largely perilous means, history reflects the views of those who won, and so it is that today, the Realm of Lithmore enjoys undying pride in its culture and practices, spreading them throughout the five duchies. The realm, in reality an uneasy empire of five kingdoms reduced to duchies, focuses much of its attention on Dav's capital city, Lithmore. Here, history looms over the shoulder of the people as large organizations created to assist Dav's cause retain the power he granted unto them, clutching it to their hearts like lovers. These oligarchies, the guilds, frequently fight to maintain both their presence as well as their prestige and rights. During the upheaval of Dav's reign, the Holy Order of Dav rose from the fringes of cult society to become the church of the realm. Their doctrine, militant and oppressive, is to seek out the vile taint of magic and those who support it to protect the citizens of Lithmore from the inevitable results of evil. They are the leaders of the Inquisition, and both feared and loved for the safety they provide. At the head of the Order, the monarch of the realm also enjoys the title Patriarch, and directly plays a part in ensuring their continued success. More than any other organization, the Holy Order of Dav and the Knights Lithmorran (formerly the Knights of the Chalice), dominate Lithmore's culture and politics. The Knights Lithmorran serve as the sword arm of the church, capturing mages and heretics for inquisition. Theirs is a unique existence, violence balanced by piety. They take vows which bind them to their oaths of chivalry and high standards of living. A powerful informants and entertainers called the Troubadours are welcomed into almost any company for their open and honest sharing of news. Acting as a repository for all knowledge, and known as such, the Troubadours educate their peers on current events, politics, history, and just about everything else in the oldest manner known to man: music and performances. The language of laughter breaks down all barriers within and without this guild, granting them unparalleled access to all social circles and peoples. Though not inherently powerful by any writ, the Troubadours own the hearts of the people, and thus have a far more innate support than many of the higher guilds. The hearts of men are not, however, the only means to power in a nation, and the city of Lithmore has its share of those who dominate it through sheer financial capability. The Merchants Guild, chartered long before the Consolidation, is probably both the oldest and the heartiest of the guilds. Bound into many a venture, many nobles are backed by their merchant lenders, and a case could be made that this guild controls the entire economy of the realm both inside and outside of Lithmore. Their members are skilled professionals that can demand their own price for their work, and frequently do just that. The Merchants Guild encompasses services as well as goods, especially in the medical field. The Physicians maintain a high quality of professionalism, doling out skills to paying apprentices and tightly maintaining their presence and power through legal and financial means. At one point, they functioned as their own guild, but have recently come back under the auspices of the Merchants once more. Where there is money, there's always someone willing to take it. The Brotherhood of Common Goods, perhaps more frequently dubbed "The Thieves", are more than happy to relieve the merchants and just about anyone else of their wealth. Their origins trace back to the Consolidation, smuggling commodities such as whiskey, bandages, and lamp oil to both armies during the wars. Before these ignoble men and women banded, criminals faced terrible odds on their own, but the Brotherhood both protects its own and prevents others from operating in their territory. Organized crime pays off better than any other kind, they say, and this "guild" has proven remarkably capable of confirming this belief. The Reeves, however, stand in their way. Once an organized militia of both peasant and knight alike, the Reeves grew in prominence as both police and judges. The King of Lithmore now relies upon them more than any other group to collect taxes, keep the peace, and hold judicial hearings. Rich from both levies and taxes, they regulate trade, make laws, and enforce them. In recent times, their law enforcement duties were absorbed by the Knights Lithmorran, but have once again fallen to the newly reformed Queen's Guard, which handles enforcement of the law and the correction of all secular crime.